This year, 2018, has been a great one for cannabis, due to the spread of legalization and the strong economic promise of this new industry. Although cannabis is often associated with the smoking of marijuana to achieve a high, companies are finding very different, new and creative product uses for the substance.

Beverages

Forget smoking; now you can drink cannabis. Beverage companies throughout the United States and abroad are creating drinks infused with CBD, or the cannabis compound cannabidiol, which contains no THC and is therefore non-psychoactive.

Although cannabis still remains illegal in most states, companies see promise in it; an article from Business Insider suggested that the cannabis-infused beverage industry could be worth as much as $600 million in 2022. Some of the more popular options include: cocktails, beers, and soda. But other beverages are being infused with cannabis -- like milk. So, who knows what’s next?

Cosmetics

Cannabis has officially found a home in the cosmetics industry. Prior to 2018, extensive research was conducted on the topical application of CBD for its health benefits. The availability of cannabis-infused cosmetics has risen alongside expanding legalization and growing societal acceptance for cannabis. In the cosmetics category are a wide array of products, from body-butters to hair conditioners.

Shoes

Once upon a time, the only relation that cannabis had to shoes came in the form of a marijuana leaf embroidered onto the shoe as a design. That's changed: Shoes are now being made from cannabis. Hemp shoes aren’t completely new. In the past, companies like Adidas and Nike released sneakers and prototypes made from hemp. Nonetheless, this industry segment is extremely creative.

Clothing

Hemp has been used to make rope and textiles for centuries, but now that legal marijuana's popularity is increasing, fashion and clothing companies are bringing hemp back. One of the more popular brands creating clothing from hemp is Patagonia, which has an exclusive line of hemp clothing.

Soap

If you’re looking to reach a new clean, you might want to try some cannabis-infused soap. Cannabis-infused soaps originate from the cannabis-cosmetics craze. However, while many cosmetics products only use CBD, cannabis-infused soaps allow individuals to feel the effects of THC during their baths. Soaps are providing a new and innovative way to induce a high.

Building materials

Cannabis is being used to build a new type of building material: hempcrete. Hempcrete is a concrete made from the center of the hemp stock. The stock is mixed with water and limestone powder to create a new and improved building material. The substance is stronger, lighter and more environmentally friendly than standard concrete.

At this point, Hempcrete hasn’t reached its peak, but companies likeUKHempcrete are exploring it.

Auto parts

"Hemp" and "auto parts" are not an association that comes to most people's minds. But the Canopy Corporation says this is a match made in heaven. Companies like Canopy are actually using hemp to make door panels and dashboards. According to the company, automakers such as Ford, GM, Chrysler, Saturn, BMW, Honda and Mercedes are currently using hemp-composite for door panels, trunks, headliners and more.

Fitness

Believe it or not, cannabis is being used in the fitness industry. More specifically, it's being marketed in the creation of supplements. Many individuals consider hemp seeds to be a super food, filled with proteins, antioxidants, amino acids and fatty acids; the seeds are perfect for protein powders, helping individuals to replace dairy products for plant-based options.

As far as specific fitness activities, CBD has found its way into the practice of yoga, as this Yoga Journal article describes.

Fuel

With growing emphasis on environmental care, biodiesels have become popular options among individuals looking for clean fuel. There have also been studies showing that hemp-based biodiesels are more eco-friendly and cost-efficient than other alternatives. Although there hasn’t been a major push towards biodiesels, we may not be too far from it.

Soil and water purification

In addition to helping the environment through biodiesel fuels, hemp is being used to remove chemicals and other impurities such as phosphorus from wastewater. Recently, hemp was used to remove radioactive components from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site.